Fruits (and Vegetables) of Your Labors – Vol. 4 and 5 – Columbia Heights

“Sunday harvest in Columbia Heights”

A couple of great harvests from Columbia Heights.

If your garden has been kind to you, send a couple of photos with your neighborhood to princeofpetworth(at)gmail with Fruits (and Vegetables) of Your Labors in the subject line.

“Today’s harvest – arugula, tomatoes, eggplants (these little stripy ones are like eggplant-flavored sticks of butter!) and about 9 feet worth of cucumbers. So I made cucumber kimchee and half-sours. Both are pretty simple “quick” pickles.

1. Cut cucumbers into small spears. Put them in a strainer, toss with a couple teaspoons of salt and let sit about 10-15 min. Rinse.

2. for Kimchee – mix about 1 t. of salt, 1 t. sugar, 1 Tablespoon each of soy sauce & fish sauce. 1/4 t. (or more if you like it hot) red pepper flakes. thin sliced ginger & about 4 garlic cloves, thin-sliced red onion & scallions. Toss with the cukes and let sit 1/2 hour or longer. Probably good with sliced hot peppers if you like them.

3. For half-sours, just mix the 1 t. salt & 1 t. sugar with sliced garlic & onion, some fennel seed, or fresh fennel or dill, if you like. Add a little water and let sit.”